CORPORATE BODY RESURRECTION in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

CORPORATE BODY RESURRECTION in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

2 Corinthians 5:1-9

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house NOT MADE WITH HANDS, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

⁶ So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.


Christians are divided on many doctrines and The Resurrection is just another one.  The majority view on The Resurrection is that sometime in the future physical bodies will be reassembled and connected to the soul/spirit of that person.  Another view is that The Resurrection is a corporate resurrection.
THE RESURRECTION WAS CORPORATE and NOT individual bodies coming up out of the ground. The resurrection was for Israel and it was a resurrection out of the corporate body of death/ old covenant/ body of Adam and into the new covenant/ the body of Christ.

In Scripture, body (soma) can reference physical bodies like the human body or animal body. It can also refer corporately to the body of Christ (the church) or like in a “student body” or “body of knowledge.”

Below is an excerpt from P. David Curtis.

Alright, let's look at how Paul uses this word "mortal" in 2 Corinthians 5. But before we look at chapter 5, we must get the context. Remember context is king when it comes to interpretation:

who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:6 NASB

For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:9 NASB

This should be clear that Paul is contrasting the two covenants. The Old kills, the old condemns, and therefore they groan:

For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:11 NASB

This verse is much clearer in YLT:

for if that which is being made useless is through glory, much more that which is remaining is in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:11 YLT

The old was "being made useless," the tent of the Old Covenant body was being torn down. Now look at chapter 4:

always carrying about in the body the dying of Yeshua, that the life of Yeshua also may be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:10 NASB

"Body"--here in both uses is singular, he is not talking about plural bodies. The "our" is plural, but "body" is singular. Paul has been talking about the covenants, and now he uses "body" to speak of them. He hasn't switched his topic to physical, biological bodies, he is still talking about the covenants:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NASB

Paul says the "outer man" is decaying; that is what he said in 3:11. They were not to look at things "seen"--this is again the Old Covenant: the temple, priesthood, sacrifices, feast days, which were temporal. But they were to look at things not seen-- the New Covenant, which is eternal.

Now from this context of the contrast of covenants we move to chapter 5 where the subject is still a contrast of covenants, not biological bodies:

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not MADE WITH HANDS, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 NASB

This is where the IBD (Individual Body at Death view) guys get their support for a spiritual body in heaven. In fact most Christians today interpret this text as talking about a change that takes place to our biological body at death. If you read it in isolation, it's easy to see how you could get that, but if you keep it in context, you'll see that the subject is covenant.

"Tent" here is skenos and is only used here and in verse 4. The words "torn down" are from the Greek word kataluo. Notice how Matthew uses this word:

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17 NASB

"Abolish" here is kataluo. Matthew uses kataluo of the removing of the Old Covenant.

And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down." Matthew 24:2 NASB

Here what is being "torn down" (kataluo) is the Jewish Temple:

and said, "This man stated, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'" Matthew 26:61 NASB

Again, it is used of destroying the Temple. It is also used this way in Matthew 27:40 and Acts 6:14. This word is used 16 times in the New Testament, 10 of them clearly referring to the Jewish Temple. This word is never used of physical death. Is Paul trying to confuse us? If this text is talking about physical death, why did he use a word so often connected with the Temple?

The word "building" is from the Greek word oikodome, which is used several times for the Jewish Temple and is also used of the Body of Christ:

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, Ephesians 2:21 NASB

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; Ephesians 4:12 NASB

This word is never used of an individual body, earthly or heavenly. Why does he use these words if he is not talking about the destruction of the Old Covenant?

Paul says, "We have"--this is a present active indicative, which means at the time of Paul's writing: "they already had a house not MADE WITH HANDS (around AD 55)." So there are two houses existing at the same time, the earthly tent and an eternal house not MADE WITH HANDS. This certainly fits the transition period where the Old and New covenant existed together for a period of forty years. Can these houses be two biological bodies?

For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; 2 Corinthians 5:2 NASB

The "this house" here is the "earthly tent" of verse 1. They were groaning in the house they were in and longing for a new home from heaven. Is this a physical body? We certainly could say that we groan in our biological bodies. But is this what Paul is talking about? I don't think so. This word "groan" is the same word that Paul uses in Romans 8:23 "...even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." So both texts have the same meaning:

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23 NASB

The "redemption of our body" is a reference to the resurrection. The promise of resurrection was a promise made to who? Resurrection was a promise made to Israel. Ezekiel 37 connects the Spirit and the resurrection, and Romans 8 talks about the Spirit and the resurrection. The resurrection was Israel's hope. Yahweh had promised to redeem His people from the grave:

Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? O Death, where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight. Hosea 13:14 NASB

But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah. Psalms 49:15 NASB

These verses express hope that God will provide salvation beyond the grave, one of the few references in the Tanakh to life after death. This is what Paul calls "the redemption of our body"--the body talked about here is not our individual physical bodies. The "our" is plural and "body" is singular. This is referring to the corporate body of Christ. "Our body" is the body of Christ, and it has been redeemed! Redemption is tied to the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in A.D. 70.

I see Paul in the text in 2 Corinthians 5 as comparing two covenants, the Old and the New. The Old Covenant caused groaning. Paul is not talking about new individual bodies, but about the covenants. The earthly tent, our house, is a reference to the body of Moses:

For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:4 NASB

Here the "mortal" is the tent, the Old Covenant. What is mortal, liable to die, will be swallowed up by the life.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Corinthians 5:6 NASB

The "we" here is not us! The "we" is Paul and his first century Jewish audience. Think about this: If the body here is the physical body, then as long as we are in the biological body we are absent from the Lord. Are believers today absent from the Lord? No, we dwell in His presence, that is the glory of the New Covenant:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, Revelation 21:3 NASB

We live in the presence of Yahweh, sin has been dealt with, and we have full access to His presence:

for we walk by faith, not by sight 2 Corinthians 5:7 NASB

We no longer see the Temple, it is no longer physical. It is a spiritual dwelling place:

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20 having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Yeshua Himself being the corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 NASB

Yeshua the Christ is the Cornerstone of the new spiritual Temple, the apostles and prophets are the foundation. This building is described as growing into a holy temple (in the first century), to become God's dwelling place. The house was finished in A.D.70 and Yahweh moved in:

we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:8-9 NASB

They wanted to be absent from the body of Israel, the Old Covenant, and to be present with the Lord. The tent of the Old Covenant has been torn down. It was completely dismantled in A.D. 70, and believers today dwell in God's presence now and forever.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, Romans 6:12 NASB

So, "Mortal body"--is not talking about individual bodies. I believe that this is a reference to the corporate "body of Moses," which is part of the "body of Adam," which was mortal and about to end. What we need to understand is that in the "body of Adam" was the "body of Moses." The Old Covenant community was born in the body of Adam. Everyone was born in Adam, but Jews were in the body of Moses, which was in the body of Adam.

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Jude 1:9 NASB

Some think the devil wished to show the Israelites where Moses was buried, knowing that they would then adore his body; and that Michael was sent to resist this discovery. But I see the "body of Moses" here is referring to Old Covenant Israel. The devil was disputing with Michael over Old Covenant Israel:

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 NASB

Old Covenant Israel was identified with Moses, they were in the body of Moses.

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Yeshua have been baptized into His death? Romans 6:3 NASB

Paul talks about being baptized in Moses and Christ. This shows us that the physical people of Israel who made up the Old Covenant were the body of Moses. And those who trust Christ become part of the body of Christ.

Alright, that's enough for today. I hope that I have demonstrated that "body" is very often used corporately to refer to the "body of Adam" or the "body of Moses," speaking of unredeemed humanity. Or to refer to the "body of Christ," those individuals who have placed their trust in Christ and been redeemed. Could we get some kind of body in heaven? Absolutely! But the Bible doesn't talk about it. The body the Bible talks about is the corporate body of Christ--the redeemed of all ages, Jews and Gentiles. So it is my position that we don't get or need a body in the afterlife.

** The Afterlife (Part 2)  by David Curtis

2 Corinthians 5:1-9

Delivered 09/01/2013  visit and support BereanBibleChurch.org 

http://www.bereanbiblechurch.org/transcripts/topical/afterlife-part02.htm

Was Israel’s return to the land in 1948 a fulfillment of Bible prophecy, specifically, the prophecy of the fig tree budding Matthew 24:32, Mark 13:28, Luke 21:29-30? ABSOLUTELY NOT! By Tuese Ahkiong

Was Israel’s return to the land in 1948 a fulfillment of Bible prophecy, specifically, the prophecy of the fig tree budding Matthew 24:32, Mark 13:28, Luke 21:29-30?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

By Tuese Ahkiong

Zionists Christians teach that the prophecy about the fig tree budding was fulfilled in Israel returning to land in 1948.  Nothing could be further from the truth!!!  These Zionists rip the passage right out of its historical context and eisogete their meaning into it around 1900 years later.  

The lesson from the fig tree is written in response TO the disciples questions surrounding the destruction of Israel’s Temple. 

The disciples’ questions were:

1.      When will these things be?

2.      What will be the sign of your coming?

3.      What will be the sign of the end of the age?

4.      What will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?

Yeshua then ANSWERS His disciples from v4-34 in Matthew 24, Mark 13:5-31, Luke 21:8-33 and tells them that all these things would take place in “this generation” (first century) and they did if you believe Yeshua.

In Scripture, the Fig tree sometimes is identified as Israel.  This is NOT one of those times.  The Luke account differs from Matthew and Mark’s because it not only mentions the fig tree but ALL THE TREES.  Christ’s is comparing “all these things,” the signs: false christs, wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution, put to death, The Gospel preached to the world, the abomination of desolation (which is Jerusalem being surrounded by armies), great tribulation, The Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. 

When the disciples would SEE the fig tree and ALL THE TREES budding they would KNOW it meant that Summer was near.  This is compared to the signs coming to pass as meaning Christ and His Kingdom were near, at the very gates.
It’s interesting that James writes in 5:7-9

⁷ Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸ You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Yeshua said to His disciples, “TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE. 

Many Christians believe that Christ was wrong or mistaken about what He said to His disciples in that all these things would take place before that generation passed away.

This writer does not believe that Christ was wrong or mistaken but spoke the truth in that all these things did take place in that “this generation.”

The context of the disciples’ questions are CAPITALIZED BELOW along with THE FIG TREE CONTEXT.  Matthew 24:32-35, Mark 13:28-31, Luke 21:29-33.

Matthew 24 

JESUS LEFT THE TEMPLE AND WAS GOING AWAY, WHEN HIS DISCIPLES CAME TO POINT OUT TO HIM THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE. ² BUT HE ANSWERED THEM, “YOU SEE ALL THESE, DO YOU NOT? TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, THERE WILL NOT BE LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER THAT WILL NOT BE THROWN DOWN.”

³ AS HE SAT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THE DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM PRIVATELY, SAYING, “TELL US, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE, AND WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING AND OF THE END OF THE AGE?” ⁴ And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹² And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁵ “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, ¹⁸ and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. ¹⁹ And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!²⁰ Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. ²² And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. ²³ Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸ Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³² “FROM THE FIG TREE LEARN ITS LESSON: AS SOON AS ITS BRANCH BECOMES TENDER AND PUTS OUT ITS LEAVES, YOU KNOW THAT SUMMER IS NEAR. ³³ SO ALSO, WHEN YOU SEE ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW THAT HE IS NEAR, AT THE VERY GATES. ³⁴ TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Mark 13 

13 AND AS HE CAME OUT OF THE TEMPLE, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID TO HIM, “LOOK, TEACHER, WHAT WONDERFUL STONES AND WHAT WONDERFUL BUILDINGS!” ² AND JESUS SAID TO HIM, “DO YOU SEE THESE GREAT BUILDINGS? THERE WILL NOT BE LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER THAT WILL NOT BE THROWN DOWN.”

³ AND AS HE SAT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE, PETER AND JAMES AND JOHN AND ANDREW ASKED HIM PRIVATELY, ⁴ “TELL US, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE, AND WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN WHEN ALL THESE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO BE ACCOMPLISHED?” ⁵ And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. ⁶ Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷ And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

⁹ “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. ¹¹ And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. ¹² And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

¹⁴ “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵ Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, ¹⁶ and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. ¹⁷ And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! ¹⁸ Pray that it may not happen in winter. ¹⁹ For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. ²⁰ And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. ²¹ And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.²³ But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, ²⁵ and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸ “FROM THE FIG TREE LEARN ITS LESSON: AS SOON AS ITS BRANCH BECOMES TENDER AND PUTS OUT ITS LEAVES, YOU KNOW THAT SUMMER IS NEAR. ²⁹ SO ALSO, WHEN YOU SEE THESE THINGS TAKING PLACE, YOU KNOW THAT HE IS NEAR, AT THE VERY GATES. ³⁰ TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Luke 21 

⁵ AND WHILE SOME WERE SPEAKING OF THE TEMPLE, HOW IT WAS ADORNED WITH NOBLE STONES AND OFFERINGS, HE SAID, ⁶ “AS FOR THESE THINGS THAT YOU SEE, THE DAYS WILL COME WHEN THERE WILL NOT BE LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER THAT WILL NOT BE THROWN DOWN.” ⁷ AND THEY ASKED HIM, “TEACHER, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE, AND WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN WHEN THESE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE?” ⁸ And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. ⁹ And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. ¹² But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. ¹³ This will be your opportunity to bear witness. ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all for my name's sake. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By yourendurance you will gain your lives.

²⁰ “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. ²¹ Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, ²² for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. ²³ Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

²⁵ “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹ AND HE TOLD THEM A PARABLE: “LOOK AT THE FIG TREE, AND ALL THE TREES. ³⁰ AS SOON AS THEY COME OUT IN LEAF, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. ³¹ SO ALSO, WHEN YOU SEE THESE THINGS TAKING PLACE, YOU KNOW THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR.³² TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL NOT PASS AWAY UNTIL ALL HAS TAKEN PLACE. ³³ HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY, BUT MY WORDS WILL NOT PASS AWAY.